Space frames have been used for decades in various building applications, such as large roof spans. Space frames generally are lightweight, rigid, inexpensive, and strong building components. They generally require less building materials than alternative technologies, as they are made from truss-like, interlocking struts. Bending moments can be resisted in space frames by using only tensile and compressive loads in each strut.
Compared to space frames, traditional rectilinear structures are generally based on hexahedral geometries, and the structural stability of such traditional structures requires lateral supports such as buttresses, cross bracing, shear walls, and/or stiff, moment-resisting joints. These traditional structures have evolved from pre-historic buildings that include post and beam supports to modern steel high-rise structures. However, as the height of such structures increases, costs can rise disproportionately concerning general engineering, and concerning specific features such as seismically resistant-cantilevered foundations and ductile frames that bend to absorb lateral forces. Thus financial, environmental, and space concerns can sometimes make such structures inefficient and undesirable.
Modern space frame technologies also have some undesirable features. Generally, and with few exceptions, they are based on equilateral geometry within which right triangular faces are not possible. For example, struts in conventional space frames present sloping structural members within an equilateral tetrahedral geometry that present significant headroom obstacles. Such struts are often arranged in isotropic vector matrices that are not amenable to supporting the hexahedral geometries (i.e., vertical walls, horizontal floors and horizontal areas clear for human inhabitation beneath ceilings) of conventional living spaces. There is therefore a need for an improved space frame geometry that overcomes the above-described problems of traditional rectilinear structures and prior art space frame technology.
The present invention is aimed at one or more of the problems identified above.